EPICS Program Promotes STEM Learning Through Community Outreach

IEEE has started The Engineering Projects in Community Service, or EPICS in IEEE, with the goal of both increasing student interest in STEM fields, and helping these students make the world a better place through the meaningful application of technology and engineering projects to students around the world.

Through the program, students at high school and university levels are connected with community outreach programs, non-profit organizations and local special needs groups, then are provided with support and direction toward solving problems in their community through technological innovation.

Here are just a few of the more than 50 projects that young engineers have taken on, or are currently developing.

Benefiting the Environment

Students working with the local Nature Conservatory in New Hampshire are developing a program to restore the oyster population in Great Bay. By using a wireless sensor network to track tidal flows, students are discovering how technology can be used to help the environment, and learning how a career in engineering and STEM can be applied to solving real world issues.

Students testing wireless sensor modules for the good of New Hampshire’s Oyster population. (Image courtesy of IEEE.)

Benefiting Younger Students

A Lego Mindstorms NXT robot kit can be built, programmed and used by students as an introduction to more advanced robotics. (Image courtesy of IEEE.)

Arizona State University students have developed an education program that uses the Lego Mindstorms NXT robot kit to teach engineering concepts to Central American middle and high school students.

Working with a local non-profit organization, these workshops have shown great success in encouraging teamwork and language skills, on top of the experience the young students gain in math, science and critical thinking.

The middle and high school students are also invited to attend Robofest, a robotics competition and show.

ASU’s program has done so well that it is being considered for expansion into US schools.

Benefiting the Differently-Abled

While sign language is common for communication with deaf and hearing-impaired individuals, there is often a language barrier when it comes to communicating with people who can hear, and don’t know how to sign.

IEEE member students at the RNA Institute of Technology in Bangalore, India have developed a device to translate sign language hand gestures into English text. Using an initial grant from IEEE, they developed the device that couples cameras, infrared LEDs and a gaming motion controller to track hand movements, which are then manually translated and stored.

This student-designed device takes input from the motion controller and cameras to translate sign language into English. (Image courtesy of IEEE.)

While the students developing this project have since graduated, a new generation has taken up the call, and received additional funding from IEEE to develop a more portable handheld version.

The Future of STEM

There are many other programs and organizations that encourage students to help their communities, as well as groups that try and assist in getting the disadvantaged students into engineering programs, but few have the reach and clout of IEEE.

With a large membership base, industry support and charitable donations, the EPICS program is poised to both make a difference around the world, and encourage the next generation of students to engineer success in their communities.

For a more detailed list of EPICS in IEEE projects, check their program website.